Department for Education

Special Educational Needs: Unpaid Work

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government how many supported internships there are; and what is the target number of supported internships during 2023.

Baroness Barran: In January 2022, local authorities reported that there were 2,477 young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan enrolled on a supported internship.In February 2022, the department announced that we are investing up to £18 million over the next three years to build capacity in the Supported Internships programme. We will aim to double the number of Supported Internships to around 4,500 per year by 2025 to give more young people with an EHC plan the skills to secure and sustain paid employment.In the Spring Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced up to £3 million to pilot extending Supported Internships to young people with learning difficulties and disabilities without EHC plans, to support more young people into employment.

Teachers: Training

Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the initial teacher training core content and early careers frameworks prioritise adaptive teaching for children with special educational needs and disability in accordance with individual need.

Baroness Barran: The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) has been designed with the knowledge that the quality of teaching is the most important factor in improving outcomes for pupils, particularly for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs. Careful consideration has been given to the needs of trainee teachers in relation to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the Early Career Framework (ECF) builds on that learning for early career teachers (ECTs). These reforms support the department’s ambition that all new teachers starting in the profession learn how to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.Both the CCF and the ECF outline what trainee and new teachers should learn, and should learn how to do, in respect of adaptive teaching. The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement for trainee teachers and places a duty on ITT providers and their partner schools to meet this entitlement through incorporating the CCF into their course curricula. Courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. To be recommended by an accredited provider for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), trainees must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. To pass statutory teacher induction, ECTs must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards through a formal assessment, signed off by their head teacher and independently checked by their appropriate body.The department is exploring opportunities to build teacher expertise through a review of the CCF and ECF frameworks. Aiming to conclude by the end of 2023, the review will identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND.

Department of Health and Social Care

Drugs: Advertising

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the Written Answer byLord Markham on 27 April (HL7380), whether they considered whether materials disseminated by public bodies in support of a public health campaign to increase routine vaccination uptake were seen to "promote the prescription, supply, sale or use" of specific medicine or medicines, either intentionally or unintentionally; if so, whether this material fell within the definition under regulation 7 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012; and if not, which legal provision provided an exemption from regulation 7 for public health campaign advertisements.

Lord Markham: It is the view of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) that materials disseminated by Government bodies in support of a public health campaign are not caught by the definition of an advertisement for a medicine as given in regulation 7. This is because these materials were not ‘designed to promote the prescription, supply, sale or use’ of a specific medicine or medicines. Instead, these materials were disseminated to promote public health by encouraging people to seek appropriate medical intervention, in this case uptake of vaccination against COVID-19.The MHRA is obliged to consider any complaints made to it about the advertising of medicines. While carrying out its statutory duties, the MHRA will assess each case on its own merits and in light of the available evidence.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement on 27 April that the NHS has vaccinated half of care home residents in three weeks as part of its COVID-19 vaccination programme, whether the NHS plans to use the existing COVID-19 infrastructure to enable the rapid roll out of an immunisation programme for respiratory syncytial virus.

Lord Markham: The Department, alongside NHS England, are gathering lessons learned from the COVID-19 vaccine programme to strengthen delivery, and increase access and uptake for all vaccination programmes, including potentially new programmes.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Children

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what conversations the Department of Health and Social Care has had with (1) the UK Health Security Agency, and (2) the NHS, regarding operational readiness to introduce a maternal or infant immunisation programme forrespiratory syncytial virusin 2024.

Lord Markham: There is currently an existing, targeted programme in place to protect infants at high risk of complications if infected by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is actively reviewing evidence for new and emerging products and the potential for a universal RSV immunisation programme. When the JCVI has concluded its review, their advice can be implemented on any potentially expanded programme as soon as is practicable, with input from both the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England.

Doctors: Resignations

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyUK-trained doctors are currently practising in the UK; how many UK-trained doctors are currently practising overseas; and how many UK-trained doctors left the NHS in each of the past 10 years before pension age.

Lord Markham: In 2021 the General Medical Council reported that there were 178,173 doctors registered with them who are licenced to practice in the United Kingdom and whose primary medical qualification was from the UK. This data though does not identify if those doctors are practicing at a given point in time. However, the data will include doctors working in the National Health Service as well as those working for private providers across the UK.Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development data reported that in 2020, around 13,400 UK trained doctors were reported as practicing in foreign countries. There are likely more than this because it excludes countries such as the United States of America who have not returned data in recent years.The Department does not hold data on UK trained doctors who are leaving the NHS before pension age.

Nurses: Recruitment

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Markham on 11 May (HL Deb, col 1935), whether nurse recruitment will be part of the long-term workforce plan for the NHS.

Lord Markham: The Government has committed to publishing the Long Term Workforce Plan shortly. This will include projections for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed in 5, 10 and 15 years’ time, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. The plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.

Evusheld

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of Evusheld 2 in protecting clinically extremely vulnerable and immunocompromised people against COVID-19; and whether there are plans for it to be made available on the NHS.

Lord Markham: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has made no evaluation of Evusheld 2. Should such an application be received, the MHRA will review this for quality, safety and effectiveness and the overall benefit risk. The MHRA, together with independent advisory groups, continues to review the emerging body of evidence regarding potential medicines for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.

Paramedical Staff: Recruitment

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Markham on 11 May (HL Deb col 1935), whether they intend to recruit more paramedics to support increased capacity for ambulances.

Lord Markham: Additional ambulance service capacity will largely be delivered through more crew hours on the road and through an increase in clinical capacity in control rooms. The number of National Health Service ambulance staff and support staff has increased by over 40% since 2010.

Radioisotopes: Staff

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sustainability of the nuclear medicine workforce; and how this may be affected by the increase in availability of nuclear medicines to treat certain cancers.

Lord Markham: No assessment has been made.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Telecommunication Cables: Seas and Oceans

Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many transatlantic submarine or pipeline telecommunications cables are in UK public ownership or control.

Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many transatlantic submarine or pipeline telecommunications cables are in ownership or control, largely or wholly, by members of NATO.

Viscount Camrose: There are no transatlantic submarine or pipeline telecommunications cables under direct UK public ownership or control. We anticipate this to be the same for other NATO member states, but it would be a matter for NATO member states to confirm.Subsea cables are privately owned and operated, although governments work with the operators, regulators, international partners and others to assess the overall resilience of subsea infrastructure and respond to high-impact events.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Hikvision: CCTV

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of any (1) security, and (2) ethical, risks posed by the installation of 38 new CCTV cameras made by Chinese state-owned firm Hikvision aspart of security arrangements for His Majesty the King's Coronation.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they gave to the Written Statement byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 24 November 2022 (HLWS376) during the procurement of38 new Hikvision CCTV cameras aspart of security arrangements for His Majesty the King's Coronation.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla was an historic and hugely important occasion, which brought hundreds of thousands of people out to the streets of London – and around the whole kingdom – to celebrate. To ensure that the event was safe and well-ordered, a number of services were sub-contracted, including the provision of additional CCTV where necessary. This was done to help manage crowds, ensuring the safety of the public along the Procession.As is standard in commercial arrangements like this, HM Government was not asked to approve the use of specific cameras. These cameras were temporarily installed at street level along the route of the procession, and were removed immediately after the weekend of the Coronation. The cameras were not part of the security arrangements for the Coronation. The cameras were standalone CCTV cameras which were connected to a secure UK private event network which cannot be accessed or shared outside the country.

Home Office

Asylum: Children

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to theremarksbyLord Murray of Blidworth on 10 May (HL Deb, col 1924), whether unaccompanied children seeking asylum who are to be detained under the Illegal Migration Billare tobe placed in "age appropriate accommodation", where these age-appropriate accommodation will be; what services will be provided in them, and by whom, that make them age appropriate; who will be responsible for the children placed there in terms of the duties in section 17 and 20 of the Children Act 1989; and who will have ultimate responsibility for running these accommodation.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The welfare of those who are detained is taken seriously. Where a decision is made to remove an unaccompanied child under 18, detention will be for the shortest possible time. The detention powers within the Bill can only be exercised to detain an unaccompanied child in specific circumstances that will be set out in regulations.We will build upon our current detention facilities to ensure they provide appropriate, safe and secure accommodation. This includes working closely with the Department of Education and local authorities to ensure there are proper support provisions in detention for unaccompanied children.The Home Secretary is responsible for all people in detention, including the day-to-day care of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Detention Centres

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government whether additional detention sites todetain those subject to the duty to remove under clause 2 of the Illegal Migration Bill will operate under the Detention Centre Rules 2001.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government whether an individual subject to the duty to remove underclause 2 of the Illegal Migration Bill will be considered for release from detention if a rule 35 report is brought to the attention of the Home Office.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they follow in assessing whether a place of immigration detention is appropriate.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Illegal Migration Bill creates new detention powers which will allow the Home Secretary to detain a person pending a decision as to whether they meet the four conditions and the new duty to remove applies, and thereafter to detain pending their removal.All Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) must operate in compliance with the Detention Centre Rules 2001, this includes any additional sites that are opened as IRCs to increase detention capacity.The purpose of rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 is to ensure that people in detention who are particularly vulnerable are brought to the attention of those with direct responsibility for authorising, maintaining and reviewing detention. This rule applies to all people who are detained under immigration powers in IRCs, regardless of the immigration power they are detained under. Rule 35 is a reporting mechanism, and where a report is completed, it does not automatically mean that the person should be released.An individual’s placement in detention is considered on a case-by-case basis with account to the most suitable IRC that can meet their needs. Our Detention: General Instructions provides guidance on this process.We only detain persons for immigration purposes in places that are listed in the Immigration (Places of Detention) Direction 2021.